


We Were, But Not Anymore

by DarkenedHeart



Series: Fighting To Love You [1]
Category: Conviction (TV 2016)
Genre: "Bad Deals", Angst, Conner/Sam Centered, Emotional Hurt No Comfort, Episode Related, M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, Not A Happy Ending, Secret Lovers, Spoilers, s01e07
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-09-03 02:51:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8693527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkenedHeart/pseuds/DarkenedHeart
Summary: Sam and Conner have secretly been together since before the Conviction Integrity Unit came into being. Their problems started as the C.I.U. gained speed... As Sam's frustrations come to a head, he decides he's had enough . If Conner isn't willing to bring their relationship out in the open, maybe they shouldn't even be having one.---Episode Related, so spoilers... (This all happened when I saw Sam rush into the room and look at Conner to ask him if the girl was really alive.)





	

Sam Spencer hears the news about his old case on the radio on his way to work. He runs into the building to search out Conner Wallace to make absolutely certain that what he was hearing was true.

When Sam rushes into the room to talk to Conner, Hayes Morrison is already there talking to him. Conner gives him a look of sympathy as he confirms the news. Sam can only stare at him in shock as it all sinks in. 

He was wrong? How? What did he do wrong? Where did the mistakes start?

"Hayes," Conner's voice is saying through the mist of the other man's head. "meet your bulldog."

 

As the rest of the team gathers in their meeting room, Conner pulls Sam into an empty office to talk.

"Are you going to be okay?" Conner asks as he stares intently into the other man's eyes. 

"Of course I'm not going to be okay," Sam replies with a frown. "I have to work a case with a team that I was supposed to be running in order to figure out how badly I screwed up one of my own cases!"

"Keep your voice down," the other man warns him, keeping his head near the door to listen out for passers by. 

"I'm working this case," Sam states.

"No way," Conner shakes his head. "You're too involved, you should separate yourself."

"Hayes will allow it," the brunette points out. "And since you put her in charge, her word trumps yours. I'm working this case."

"Fine," Conner gives up. He reaches a hand over to Sam's face and tenderly strokes a thumb over the other man's cheek. "Just...Be careful, okay? I don't want to see you get hurt."

"It hurts me more to watch you play the jealously game with Hayes using Naomi Golden," Sam pushes the hand away.

"You know why we have to keep this secret," Conner frowns. "We've been over it a hundred times."

"No, you've talked me out of ending things with you a hundred times," the other man returns. "I still don't see why you have to play the sniping lover with my boss, while I have to watch from the side lines."

"Thing's are touchy right now," Conner tries to reason with him. "Just give me until this last part of the plan. Wait until I get the judge's seat and we can talk about coming out together. Can you do that for me?"

"I should tell Hayes all about this plan," Sam shakes his head as he pushes the other man out of the way to get to the door. "Just to spite you."

"Sam-"

"But I won't," Sam interrupts him, eyes on the door and not the other man's face. "I care too much about you to do that. I'm also starting to respect her, though, Conner."

Sam turns a glare on his secret lover, "You better not hurt her too much."

The brunette leaves at that to join his team. 

Conner goes back to his office.

\---

"We need to get to Sam right now," Tess is telling her team worriedly.

Conner turns away from his trek down the hall to join the group, "Why? What's wrong?"

"Sam went to talk with our kidnapper!" Tess explains as she and her two teammates run from the room to head to their cars.

Conner has his phone out to call for back-up for before the team can make it to the elevators.

\- -

Conner forces himself to wait inside his car parked a block away from the kidnapper's house. He watches the officer rush in and his grip on the wheel tightens.

Each beat of his heart thumps loudly in his ears until Sam finally steps out of the house and Conner can breathe again.

 

Sam looks around the area as he stops on the bottom step, body still shaking from being held at gun-point. He catches sight of a familiar black car a few blocks away and the shaking calms down a little. 

Maxine offers to drive him home, but he turns her down with a smile; he doesn't want to leave his car there.

\- -

Sam finishes the case, visits the man he put in prison, and does everything he can to push the man's release through as quickly as he can. 

As Josh Fleck & Sierra Macy hug in front of the camera crews and everyone present, Sam finally allows himself to leave.

\---

"I'm going home," Sam tells Maxine after thanking her for saving his life. 

As he passes Conner's office, he sees it's occupied, so he keeps on walking.

 

Conner notices Sam leave and has to resist running after him. Hayes has that look in her eye that means she's figured something out.

Hayes lays Conner's plan out for him to deny with silence. When Naomi steps into the room, holding two flutes and a bottle of champagne, Hayes offers one last biting retort willed with second meanings and walks out of the room.

"I guess that means more for us," Naomi smiles as she walks closer to Conner.

"I'm sorry, Naomi" Conner says as he turns back to his desk to pick up his personal things. "I just remembered an important meeting that I made for tonight. We'll have to celebrate later."

"Important meeting?" the woman lowers her arms. "What meeting? Why don't I know about it?"

"It's a personal meeting," Conner smirks at the hidden meaning. "I'll call you in the morning. Have a good night."

"But what-?" Naomi sighs as she watches the man rush out of the office and towards the elevator. She looks down at the bottle, then shrugs, getting comfortable on the couch to partake by herself.

\---

'This is how it has to be.'

The doorbell rings and Sam startles out of his chair. He shakes the memories of the woman who held him hostage out of his head as he walks to the door to open it.

Conner smiles at him from the other side.

"Can I come in?"

With a nod, Sam pulls the door out of the way and lets the other man in. Closing it, the brunette leans against the door to stare at his lover.

"I saw you at the scene," Sam speaks first when it looks like the other man isn't going to. "Why didn't you come all the way over?"

"Sam," Conner's shoulder's sag. "I couldn't. Maxine was there, as well a half a dozen officers."

"They would have seen a concerned friend coming to offer aid," Sam counters angrily. "I can't do this anymore, Conner. I almost died today! I don't want to hide my relationships from other people because my boyfriend is too scared fo admitting he's gay!"

"I'm not gay, I'm bi," Conner automatically argues. 

"Which makes things worse because you're in a non-stop squabbling flirt battle with Hayes!" Sam shouts back. "And don't think for a SECOND that I don't know you kissed Naomi in front of her just to tick her off!"

"Sam, you don't understand," Conner reaches for the other man, but he's pushed away.

"No, Conner, it's you who doesn't understand," Sam forces out, tears stinging his eyes but he refuses to let them fall. "You care so much about your image that you can't be bothered to think about anyone else. I used to think that what we had was fun, that being your secret lover was just another way for you to protect me, but I was wrong. You don't care about me the same way I care about you. I'm nothing more than....Than a body to you, another person you can manipulate and use."

"That's not true!" Conner shouts. "You mean a lot to me, Sam! I love you!"

Sam laughs, "Love? Really? Then why can't you be seen around me unless we're at work? Why do you cringe at the thought of holding my hand in public? Why didn't you even entertain the thought of teasing Hayes with a relationship with me?"

"Because as forward thinking as this world is, it's still not all the way there!"

"That's crap and you know it!"

Conner throws his hands up in the air as he takes a few steps away to think.

"I'm through, Conner," Sam says brokenly. The tears welling up to a degree that he has to wipe them away to prevent them from spilling over. "I am not going to waste my life living a lie and in the shadows. If you're not willing to admit what we have to others...Then, clearly, what we have isn't good enough to keep."

"What are you saying?" Conner asks, voice soft.

"You know, because I've already said it." Sam opens the door. "Good-bye, Conner."

"Sam, please!" Conner pleads, once more reaching out to the other man.

Sam glares at him, "I'll see you at work." 

Defeated, Conner drops his hands at his sides and walks out the door.

Sam closes it behind him.

 

\---

**Author's Note:**

> **I am legally inclined to state I own nothing.**


End file.
